2001 Ford RangerProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 515 owner complaints about the 2001 Ford Ranger, most often about the structure. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.2× the Ranger median · #4 of 35 years by complaints

Safety recalls4Free fix at dealers Owner complaints515111 with a crash, fire or injury Typical failure mileage100kStructure, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 Ford Ranger has problems

515 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

112Structure3 crash/fire/injury

87Suspension1 crash/fire/injury

62Air bags47 crash/fire/injury

57Vehicle speed control8 crash/fire/injury

51Power train1 crash/fire/injury

49Service brakes, hydraulic7 crash/fire/injury

45Seat belts10 crash/fire/injury

39Tires5 crash/fire/injury

29Engine and engine cooling

10817 other systems18 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Structure	112	3
Suspension	87	1
Air bags	62	47
Vehicle speed control	57	8
Power train	51	1
Service brakes, hydraulic	49	7
Seat belts	45	10
Tires	39	5
Engine and engine cooling	29	1
17 other systems	108	18

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2001 Ford Ranger recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 09V-399 · Oct 13, 2009 · 4,500,000 vehicles

Risk. A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Vehicle speed control

Recall 07V-336 · Aug 3, 2007 · 3,600,000 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Front: buckle assembly

Recall 01V-227 · Jul 16, 2001 · 1,400,000 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE OCCUPANT PROTECTION, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Hood: hinge and attachments

Recall 00V-394 · Nov 28, 2000 · 137,700 vehicles

Risk. A HOOD FLY-UP WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do structure problems start?

100kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 86 structure complaints. 50% were reported before 100,000 miles.

4under 30k miles43under 100k miles43100k miles or more

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other Ranger year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Ranger median. How we score

11 12 27 35 50 89 73 1051321892324383214134115767556705153462434052892722703261691562351 1 1 27213111939 19 99 46 9

'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'14'16'17'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

NHTSA crash tests

2001 Ford Ranger safety ratings

2001 Ford Ranger Supercab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2001 Ford Ranger frontal crash test, NHTSA

Frontal crashNot rated

2001 Ford Ranger side barrier test, NHTSA

Side barrierNot rated

Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
Stability control: No
Forward collision warning: No
Lane departure warning: No

2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2001 Ford Ranger, and the recalls they led to.

Feb 17, 2005
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLYEA05004 · closed Jul 6, 2005
No recall
Oct 22, 2004
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLYRQ04011 · closed Feb 17, 2005
No recall

In owners' words

What Ranger owners report

Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The rear frame rusted so bad the bumper fell off and the frame actually cracked. This is a common issue with the late 1990s & early 2000s Ford Ranger, I do not understand why this isn't a recall yet as is it very dangerous. This happened on the highway. The front end frame, engine and all the…
Complaint 11463502 · May 5, 2022

The frame has rusted so bad it has completely separated from the body. The Ranger frame rusting is a known problem but it has not been recalled like the Toyota Takoma has been.
Complaint 11455156 · Mar 4, 2022

I noticed that there was significantly more rust than there should be. There are places where the frame has rusted through. It is a major safety concern. I researched the issue and found several others with the same concern. I also found that Toyota has previously recalled several vehicles for the…
Complaint 11426128 · Jul 23, 2021

Own a 2001 Ranger?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.